Blackpool snack bar slapped with worst rating and legal threats over significant hygiene breaches
PLUS: Wyre Council wants nothing to do with Blackpool
This week’s edition looks at a food hygiene report obtained exclusively by The Blackpool Lead that sheds light on 45 issues in a tiny food bar that led to Blackpool Council threatening legal action.
It’s no secret that hospitality is an industry under significant pressure but the vast majority of businesses overseen by Blackpool Council - and indeed councils in the North West - manage to achieve a five-out-of-five rating.
And our own pockets are under pressure too - so knowing the places you can trust to spend your money is important.
In September, we reported on Eat Indian’s food hygiene problems that landed the Church Street deli with a zero rating - the same rating as the business featured in our report today.
Most businesses will bounce-back from a low rating upon requesting a reinspection but, at the time of writing, Eat Indian has held its zero rating from July through until November.
The Blackpool Lead readers can expect an update on this in Sunday’s edition.
Elsewhere, devolution has been back in the news after Labour MPs in Lancashire wrote to the government to ask for a redrawing of the local political map - including the dissolution of all 15 councils and the formation instead of three unitary authorities.
The likelihood is that if that plan was to happen, Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Council would merge into one - with Lancaster perhaps also added.
Cllr Michael Vincent, the Conservative leader of Wyre Council, has rejected the idea on the basis that residents in his council area should not have to share ‘the social issues and debt’ of Blackpool.
We approached Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood and so a constituency that features both Blackpool and Wyre council areas, for her views.
Paid subscribers to The Blackpool Lead will get access to the full gallery of images taken from the business threatened with legal action. Lots of hard work went into this week’s edition and we appreciate any support you can give.
A Blackpool business was told to implement urgent improvements to its premises - or face legal action.
Town Hall Kiosk, a snack bar on Clifton Street that serves hot and cold food at very low prices, was slapped with a zero food hygiene rating after an inspection in October.
The food safety officer found a total of 45 issues - almost all related to dirt, mould and grease throughout - on their visit to the premises on 7 October, 2024, resulting in the worst rating possible, and a warning that the issues were enough for Blackpool Council to begin legal proceedings.
A letter to Town Hall Kiosk, obtained by The Blackpool Lead, said: “The inspection revealed various structural and cleaning defects, in contravention of the above regulations.
“The facts surrounding the alleged offence, briefly described on the attached schedule, have been reported to the Head of Public Protection, who is satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to institute legal proceedings.
“However, if the defects mentioned in the attached schedule are rectified at the time of the revisit, a simple caution may instead be issued. This course of action is subject to your agreement and admission of the alleged offence. Should you decline the offer of this caution Blackpool Council will instigate legal proceedings for these offences.”
The owner of Town Hall Kiosk did accept the offer of a caution and improve standards ahead of a revisit, The Blackpool Lead understands.
Blackpool Council revisited Town Hall Kiosk earlier in November and found standards had improved to at least a sufficient level to avoid legal action. However, a new rating is not issued at that point.
The zero rating issued by the food safety officer is representative of the day of the inspection. Should a business wish to receive a new score, they can request a revisit from the food safety officer.
Businesses will not be told when a new inspection will take place - but they will typically happen within six months of the request being made.
Issues uncovered at Town Hall Kiosk in October included a large jug of mystery liquid in the fridge, dirt crusted on the food containers and dirty and greasy walls and floods in the food preparation area - especially around the equipment.
Damage was evident through the business, particularly the ceiling and surrounding area close to the food preparation area where the extractor fan exits.
All of the fryer, grill, plates, cutlery, food containers, taps, shelving, pipework, sink, doors and stairs were found to be either dirty or coated in grease.
The Blackpool Lead was unable to reach Town Hall Kiosk for a comment.
Tory council leader wants nothing to do with fixing Blackpool’s problems
Wyre Council should not be forced to take on the debt and social problems of neighbouring Blackpool, its leader has said.
Michael Vincent was speaking after it was revealed a group of Lancashire Labour MPs has called on the government to abolish the county’s 15 main councils and replace them with just three or four new authorities covering much wider areas.
The politicians did not specify how they thought the local authority map should be redrawn, but such a move could lead to the creation of a new standalone ‘unitary’ authority encompassing the whole of the Fylde coast – and possibly also Lancaster.
Cllr Vincent, a Conservative, said he would not want to see Wyre residents become responsible for “bailing out” their seaside neighbours. Blackpool Council ‘s Labour leader Lynn Williams defended the stability of her authority’s finances and an investment strategy she says is designed to improve the lives of locals.
And Labour MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood Lorraine Beavers, whose constituency takes in both council areas, told The Blackpool Lead Cllr Vincent’s comments are ‘unhelpful’ adding: “They are our closest neighbours and we should be working together for the best solutions for residents."
New Environment Agency data shows Fylde Coast's bathing waters aren't improving - and that's unacceptable
The continued state of beaches on the Fylde Coast is unacceptable.
That was the response from a key local campaigner to the latest Environment Agency data, published today (26 November) which showed no year-on-year improvement to the quality of bathing waters locally.
St Annes North and Blackpool North were classified as poor, St Annes, Blackpool South and Blackpool Central as sufficient and only Bispham, Cleveleys and Fleetwood as good.
Dr Barbara Kneale, chair of Fylde Coast Against Sewage, told The Blackpool Lead: “On the Fylde Coast we have two no-bathing beaches, Blackpool North and St Annes North, and three beaches that are only sufficient. This is unacceptable.”
While there was no change the the classifications locally - the Fylde Coast already being a comparatively challenged area in this regard - the percentage of England’s bathing waters classed as poor increased from 4.3% to 8.2%.
News in headlines 🗞️
Fiancé, 30, denies manslaughter as jury is told his abuse drove young hairdresser to suicide (LancsLive)
'Stop focusing on the darker parts of Blackpool' (BBC)
Blackpool Zoo heartbreak as both pregnant Asian elephants lose their babies (LancsLive)
Blackpool Resort Hotel named as Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice favourite closes with immediate effect (The Gazette)
Want a warmer home without the cost? Cosy Homes in Lancashire has secured £80m in government funding to help people like you improve their homes–improvements that are not just good for your pocket, but good for the planet too. Take a look at what’s available today.
And now back to our main story about what was found in the Town Hall Kiosk…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Blackpool Lead to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.